Electric-log register.



No. 703,69I.

(No Model.)

Patented July I, |902. W. B. ARMSTRONG.

ELECTRIC LUG REGISTER.

(Applicntin filed Sept. 15, 1900,

3 Sheets- Sheet Patented July I, |902.

W. ARMSTRONG.

ELECTRIC LOG REGISTER.

(Appipution fled Sept. I5, 1900.)

3 Sheen-Sheet 2` (No Model.)

THE Norms versus co. PHoTaLlrNmwAsnmsTou. n, c.

Patented July I, |902.

No. 703.69I.

W. B. ARMSTRONG.

ELECTRIC LUG REGISTER.

"Amun-mon nm sept 15. 1900,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

M/ammww TNE Nonms Uns cn. moro-umu., wAsnxNaYoNfDfc,

UNITE SrATEs PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. ARMSTRONG, CF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELEGTRlOmLOG REGESTR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,691, dated J' uly1, 1902.

Application filed September l5. 1900. Serial No. 30,169. (No model To@ZZ whom t 11u03/ concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM B. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric-LogRegisters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means or apparatus for transmitting thereadings or registrations of an electric log to any number of registerssituated in different parts of the ship through which the speed made andthe number of miles traveled are continuously and simultaneouslyregistered and are displayed in various parts of the ship, such as thechartroom, the bridge, and other stations, for the information orconvenience of the officers.

The objects of these improvements are mainly to secure accuracy and thenecessary continuity of operation in the apparatus, to prevent theapparatus from being interrupted or deranged by accident to theoperating mechanism, and to indicate to the Oiiicers and others thecondition of the mechanism, whether the same be properly working in allits parts or not.

To these ends and objects my present improvements comprise certain novelparts and combination of parts producing an improved device or apparatusfor transmitting and registering at one or more stations in a vessel'the movements and operation of the log, as

hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims at the end of thisspeciiication.

The following description explains atlength the nature of theseimprovements and the manner in which Iproceed to produce, apply, andcarry out my invention, reference being had therein to the accompanying`drawings, forming part thereof.

Figure l of the drawings referred to represents in front elevation theparts of the complete apparatus constructed and connected together foroperation according to my invention and showing the ships log, theregister located at a distance from the log, a principal generator orsource of electricity, such as a dynamo-electric machine, a secondarysource of electrical energy, such as a storage battery, andelectrically-operated indicators in the circuits between the log and theregister, and the sources f electricity through a system ofcircuit-interrupters and circuit-selectors. Fig. 2 is a front View ofthe registering device to which the log is connected, the dial beingbroken away in part to expose the circuit-interrupters inside. Fig. 3 isa front view of the register. Fig. 4 is a front view of Fig. El with thedial and pointers removed to show the train of gears that actuates thepointers. Fig. 5 is a similar view with the gears and the front plateremoved to expose the parts of the electrically-controlled stepby-stepmechanism that actuates the gears. Fig. t' is a transverse section onthe vertical line .11, Fig. 3. Figs. 7, S, .0, and l0 are diagrams ofthe electrical circuits connecting the registering devices and theindicators with a principal and. a secondary source of electricalenergy.

In the several ligures of the drawings, A indicates one of theregisters, which may be located in the chart-room or other part of thevessel; I5, the registering mechanism of the ships log; C, a casecontaining the circuitcontrolling mechanism and the indicators of thedifferent circuits.

D indicates an electrical generator, such as a dynamo-electric machine;and E, a secondary source of electricity, such as a storage battery. Thelog and the register are connected in circuit with the generator throughcircuits to be hereinafter described.

F is a toothed wheel on the arbor of the principal pointer. G is acontact-spring having a tooth g setting in the path of the teeth on thewheel,and II is a second contact-spring, with which the contact G makesand breaks electrical contact as the teeth of the Wheel F strike thespring G. The two springs Gr II are connected to opposite poles of thegenerator in such manner that electric interruptions in the circuitbetween the log and the register Aare produced corresponding to themovements of the wheel F.

A construction of registering device well adapted for use in thisapparatus is illustrated in Figs. 4.-, 5, and 6. The electromagnet I inthis device is connected in the circuit with the interrupter ormake-and-break device in the log, so as to produce movements of anarmature K in time with the revolutions of the toothed wheel on the log,and through the medium of a slidable frame K,

IOO

connected to the armature K', the toothed wheel L in the registermechanism is rotated in time with the movements of the wheel driven bythe log. The frame II is supported in guides 4- i and is provided withangular' teeth or pallets 5 5, which, by engaging the teeth of the wheelL upon opposite sides of its axis, rotate that wheel as the frame ismoved. This reciprocatingmovement of the frame, as will readily beunderstood, is produced by the action of the armature K and a coiledspring K2, attached 1o the slide and to a fixed point in the case. Themovements ot the wheel L thus produced are registered on the dial 7 by apointer (5 on the arbor ot the toothed wheel. Through a train of gearsand pinions 8 f) l0 l2 a longer pointer I3 is connected with the toothedwheel and is moved thereby in such relation to the movements ot theshorter pointer t5 that multiples oi the units or divisions on one scaleon the dial are registered by the longer pointer on another scale. Anyrequired number of these dialregisters are placed in the circuitsbetween the log and the source of electrical energy to supply theoperating-current and are connected by wires to bindingposts S 3 on thecase in which the indicators and the circuitcontrolling devices areinclosed.

M N P are incandescent lamps connected in the circuits between thegenerator and the log and between the storage battery and the login suchmanner as to indicate by their lights the condition ot the severalcircuits and the perfect working of the mechanism. Bulbs of differentcolors are used in order to readily distinguish the circuits from oneanother. In the apparatus from which the accompanying drawings were madethe indicator M shows a green light, the indicator N a white light, andthe third indicator' P a red light. The green lamp M is located in thecircuit between the dynamo D and the log-registering mechanism, and inthat circuit is included a circuit-selector, preferably formed of twopairs ot' electromagnets It It' with a vibrating armature T between thepairs. Through the movements of this armature and the contacts made orbroken at the eo1itact-stopt ,as attracted by one or the other of themagnets R It', a circuit through the green or the red lamp is opened andclosed, the said circuits extending from one side el the dynamo throughthe lamp M, magnet R, log-registering mechanism B, and register to theopposite side of the dynamo, as shown in Fig. 7. In one side of the samecircuit is connected, through a shunt or secondary circuit w, the magnetR', the red lamp P, and the stationary contact-stop tx. Thislastmentioned circuit is open at ix whenever the circuit-closer T isattracted to the second pair of magnets R', when the attractive force ofthat magnetexceeds the power of the magnet R. The current from thedynamo actuating the registerA under suoli arrangement will be carriedthrough either the green ,lamp

teaser M or the red lamp P when the dynamo is working. Such variation inthe power of one magnet over the other is produced either by employingtwo magnets ot' different degrees ol' resistance or by setting thearmature T in closer working relation to the poles of one magnet than tothose ol the other magnet. In the present construction the magnet It isadjusted to hold the armature T away from the eontact-stop and carry thecircuit through the green lamp M as long` as the dynamo is workingproperly, while the branch or secondary circuit containing the red lampI) will be open at the contact-stop ZX. As long as the log is workingproperly the green lamp M, responding to the action of the circuitmaking and breaking mechanism of the log, will indicate that tact by theregularity of the iiashes in the lamp; but should the log cease to workor the generator fail to supply the current the lamp M will indicate thecondition of things by showing a steady light without intermittentflashes in the one ease and by failing to show a light in the othercase. In this way the lamp M constitutes a constant indicator to show atall' times the working condition of the log and the dynamo.

In the event of an accident to the lamp M, so that it fails to workproperly the red lamp P will be brought into service by the currentacting through the second pair R' ol the circuit-selector, and thearmature T being attracted thereby will close the circuit through thecontaet-stop 'X, as shown in Fig. S.

To prevent interruptions in the operation or" the apparatus eitherthrough accident to the dynamo or when the same may stop for any reason,an auxiliary generator, such as a storage battery E, is connected withthe dyname and into the operating-circuit through a second set ofelectromagnets S S', controlling a circuit-closing armature T'. In thiscircuit, as shown in Fig. i), is included the white lamp N, which isplaced between the storage battery and the login the saine manner as theother signals are placed. The function et' this signal N is to show theeontinuity ot' the charging-circuit and the fact that the storagebattery is being charged. Ono ot the magnets S is placedinacircuitincluding the dynamo, the white lamp N, and the storage battery,which will thus cause the lamp to indicate that the battery is heilig'charged. The other magnet S' is placed in a circuit including thebattery, the indicator, and the log. Se long as the dynamo is workingthe current is llowing through the lamp N, the magnets S, and into thebattery. This enereizes the magnets S and holds the armature T away fromthe contact t, thereby breaking the battery-circuit, which includes thelog; but as soon as the dynamo ceases to work from any cause the magnetsS lose their power and the armature falls upon or is drawn intoengagement with the contact by a suitable spring, whereby anothercircuit from the battery is closed, as shown in Fig. 10, in

TCO

IIO

'roacei 3 wliichislocatedthelogandtheindicator. As soon, however, as thedynamo is again started the magnets S are energized, and the armature Tis withdrawn from the contact t, and the current flows through thecircuits originally described and shown in Fig. 7, S, and 9. In thismanner the apparatus is caused to adj ust and correct automatically anyvariations or interruptions in the electric supply that otherwise wouldprevent continuous and perfect action of the log-recorder, and inaddition to such automatic control and adjustment of the circuit theperfect or the defective operation of both the electrical andthemechanical parts of the apparatus is at all times indicated by thevisual signals.

Having lthus fully described my invention, what I claim as new therein,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electrical log, a source of electrical energy, two circuits, aregister and a log therein, an indicatorin each circuit, means forpassing a current through either of said circuits, and means foroperating the indicator intermittently through said circuit.

2. In an electrical log, a source of electrical energy, two circuits, aregister and a log therein, an indicator in each circuit,electricallyoperated means for rendering either of said circuitsoperative by closing the same, the log being provided with means forintermittently opening and closing the operative circuit.

3. In an electrical log, a source ofelectrical energy, two circuits, aregister, a log, and two sets of electromagnets therein, an armaturebetween'the sets of magnets, one of the circuits being provided with acontact in position to be engaged by said armature, whereby said circuitis closed when the other circuit is opened, and au indicator in each ofsaid circuits.

4. In an electrical log, a primary source of electrical energy and asecondary source connected therewith, two circuits from said sources ofelectrical energy containing a log and a register, and means forautomatically passing a current of electricity from either sourcethrough either of said circuits.

5. In an electrical log, a primary source of electrical energy and asecondary source connected therewith, electrical circuits connected withsaid sources, one of which is provided with an indicator and the otherwith a log and a register, and means for automatically passing a currentfrom either source through the second-mentioned circuit.

6. In an electrical log, a primary source of electrical energy and asecondary source connected therewith, electrical circuits connected withsaid sources, one of which is provided with an indicator and the otherwith a log and a register, and electrically-controlled means forautomatically passing a current 'from either source through saidsecond-mentioned circuit.

7. In an electrical log, a primary source of electrical energy, and asecondary source connected therewith, electrical circuits connected withsaid sources of energy, one of which is provided with an electromagnetand the other is normally open and provided with a log, a register and acontact in position to be engaged by the armature of the magnet, wherebythe second circuit may be closed when the first-mentioned circuit isopened.

8. In an electrical log, a primary source of electrical energy and asecondary source connected therewith, circuits connected with saidsources of energy, the circuit connected with the primary source beingprovided with a log, a register, an indicator, a shunt-circuit and twoelectromagnets, the shunt being provided with an indicator and includingan armature located between the magnets; one of the circuits from thesecondary source of energy being provided with an indicator and anelectromagnet, and the other circuit therefrom being normally open andincluding the armature of the last-mentioned electromagnet.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal.

WILLIAM B. ARMSTRONG. [1.. a]

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OsBoRN, GEO. T. KNOX.

